Luck

I am not great. I cannot even say I am good. But with all the great things that came my way, I would say I must have done something right. Let me take that back. I would claim I must have done some things just right.

When I looked back at the past three decades of my life, I got excited with the idea of counting all the feathers on my cap. If I write the great things I accomplished, gained, and conquered, for sure I will beam with pride. But I stopped. It does not feel quite right.

I am not great. I cannot even say I am good. With the people that surround me, I will admit I was neither the best nor the exception. I am probably in the middle of those in the middle. But what the heck? With all the great things that happened to me, I tell myself I must have done some things just right that opened the door to a load of luck.

1. I was born in a middle class family studying in a community school. But luck must be on my side for getting a scholarship in a high school my parents never imagined they could send me to, not even set foot on.

2. While in that exclusive high school where expensive is normal, my family experienced the worst days in our financial life. I look back with awe for friends who helped me survive, but need not to.

3. When I was about to enter the university, I made a last minute whim to choose another. It must be another strike of luck because it is where I found most of my friends-for-life.

4. When I was searching for a job, I got seven offers from banks, pharmaceutical and FMCG firms. But I decided to wait for the eighth. Man, am I in luck because the eighth was worth the wait.

5. Just when every thing was going oh-so-smoothly with my first job, I had an event in my life that compelled me look out. Is it luck or what because there is this company who probably got a copy of my “wish list” and offered me everything in it.

6. While in transition from my first job and second job, I fell in love with someone. My first love. Now my wife. My "enough."

7. My lady luck need rest somehow. I joined my third company probably while she was taking a nap. The minute she woke up, I gained the guts to cut the losses and leave while I my sanity is still intact.

8. Rest, by far, is one of the biggest luck I got. When not all from the working class can afford it, I have enough to go on sabbatical for a couple of months --- to collect the pieces, heal and be well.

9. While in sabbatical, I patiently waited for the stars to align. I do not want another mishap, not soon at the very least. Out of nowhere, an unusual opportunity came my way. With nothing with me but faith, I surrendered what-may-be to luck. To date, I have not regretted it.

10. I must have hit One Up. My life got brighter and wider as I gained more friends-for-life while in my current company. I also learned to take it easy (vs. joining the rat race) without being lazy.

I am not great. I would not dare say I am good. But what I learned in the last three decades of my life is that I do not have to be the best or the exception. There is just this certain level of hard work, sensitivity and sensibility needed to allow luck to enter my life.

Now I beam with pride to see all these "lucky feathers" on my cap. And it feels just right.

As I enter into a new decade of my life, I pray lady luck will still be on my side for doing things just right.